Just Friends
by the bean25
Summary: Don and Audrey have been friends for a long time, and it will stay that way, right? Flack/OC
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I don't own any CSI: NY characters, including Sam. Everything else is a figment of my imagination...that kind of sounds weird. Anyway, enjoy and let me know what you think!**

Don walked into the bar to meet Danny and Lindsay. Audrey, Don's best friend since they were both eleven, was sitting next to Lindsay. They each had a beer sitting in front of them. He asked for a scotch on the rocks; after the day he had he needed something even stronger than a beer. He greeted each of his friends then stood next to Audrey as they all began to talk about life in general.

"So, what happened with that girl you met here the other night?" Danny asked Don.

Audrey turned to look at her friend and gave him a cocky smile. "Oh, there was a girl the other night?"

"Oh God, Danny, now she's gonna start too, thanks."

"Oh don't be a wuss, Donny, tell us all about her. Was she blond and like ten years younger than you?" Audrey teased.

"See, I can't tell you anything."

Audrey giggled then took a drink of her beer. She and Don had the kind of relationship that confused some people. There were people who would ask them if they were married then there were people who would ask them if they were brother and sister. Being friends since they were in the fifth grade they knew everything there was to know about the other.

It was after eleven when Audrey told them all she needed to go home. Don, of course, offered to walk her home. When they got outside, the streets were wet from the light rain.

"Did you watch the Rangers game last night?" she asked as they walked.

"Of course, another upset."

"So, come on tell me about the girl."

"She was nice."

"Nice enough to sleep with her?"

"I thought we agreed we wouldn't do this. You know, talk about the people we're dating or just sleeping with."

"Oh, so it was a one-night-stand?"

"Come on, Audrey, seriously."

"Alright, alright I won't ask." She went silent as they walked. "Oh, hey, Sam called me the other day and asked if she could come and stay with me."

"What? Why?"

"She didn't want me to tell you because she knew you'd freak out. She's having a hard time making rent and so she needs a place to stay until she can get another job to make rent."

"All she had to do was be honest with me like she is with you then maybe I could help her."

"Sometimes it's easier to turn to someone who isn't related to you for help or comfort." She stopped outside of her building then turned to look at him. "If I can be there for Sam then I will. If my little brother came to you with the same problem then wouldn't you help him?"

"Yeah, I would."

"Well, I'm going up. I'll call you tomorrow." She started up the stairs then stopped. "Hey, you're still a great big brother, no matter how judgmental you are."

"Thanks, I think."


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: I don't own any CSI: NY characters, including Sam. Everything else is a figment of my imagination...that kind of sounds weird. Anyway, enjoy and let me know what you think!**

A few days later Audrey called Don early in the morning. She hoped he would be awake. His voice was still raspy from waking up only a few minutes before she called. She told him she was about to go on a run, then asked if he wanted to join her. He agreed and they decided to meet at a newsstand in between their apartments. When Audrey got to the newsstand she waited for Don to come strolling down the sidewalk. She chuckled at how he drug his feet as he walked toward her.

"Come on, old man," she scolded as he got closer. "You'd think you were half asleep or something." She smiled.

"I am half asleep," he replied as he yawned. "And you are the same age as me so don't give me this 'old man' crap."

"Yeah, yeah, let's just run, ok?"she swooped her shoulder-length blond hair into a ponytail.

"Alright, let's do this. The usual route?"

"Sounds good to me." They both stretched a little then started across the street then began their weave through the Lower West Side.

They didn't say much as they ran. Audrey had always told him she wanted to stay focused as she ran, so instead of conversation she preferred to listen to music. So, each equipped with an iPod they continued to run. The weather was getting slightly chilly. It was mid-October and it felt like winter was just around the corner. The leaves of the trees were bright orange and beginning to turn red. They finally reached the newsstand at their halfway point where they would get bottles of water.

Audrey chugged down some water as Don did the same. "Hey," she started. "I forgot to tell you, Sam she found another job and she's just saving now for a down payment on an apartment."

"Oh, yeah, that's great."

Audrey could detect the sarcasm and rolled her eyes.

"What?"

"Nothing," she swallowed down the rest of her water. "Let's just finish."

"I know you're not saying something," he called out to her as he caught up with her.

"Really, Don, I'm fine. It seems like you're the one that can't let it go." She stopped suddenly. "Alright, listen, you get on your sister for all this stupid crap she does, but really have you stopped to think that maybe if you didn't join the PD that maybe you would've gotten caught up in some of the same stuff?"

"I don't need this from you right now." He tried to walk away, but she grabbed his arm.

"Don, come on, don't get mad at me. Just try to look at this from a different angle. I have younger siblings, too. I know what it's like to worry about them."

"So, you're telling me that if Cody was in the same situation that you wouldn't be treating him the way I treat Sam?"

She sighed. "I don't know, Don." She looked away then looked back at him. "I'm sorry I brought it up let's just finish our run." She tried to force a smile.

He didn't say anything, but put his earphones back in his ears and started to jog down the street. Sometimes Don wished he didn't have a younger sister like Sam. She was so reckless with her life. There were a handful of times he or his dad had to bail her out of a tough situation. Now, Sam was dragging Audrey into it. Although Audrey seemed to be pulling herself into it without any begging from Sam. Don didn't really have any right to get mad at Audrey for helping Sam. He knew that if one of Audrey's siblings was in the same state as Sam he would help.

When they finally got to the coffee shop where they would stop, Don went in and got them each a coffee then came out to the table Audrey had picked. They were both silent for the first few minutes as they sipped their coffee and watched the people pass by them.

"Hey," Don started, getting her attention. "I'm sorry about what I said."

She smiled. "I've been your best friend for a long time. There's no way in hell we can actually stay mad at each other. So, it's ok."

"It's because you're my best friend that you can forgive me. Anyone else would call me an ass and move on."

She laughed. "You are an ass, but I still love you anyway."

He chuckled and shook his head. "A little honesty with my coffee."

Audrey looked at her watch. "I gotta go. I need to get some work done. My editor has been breathing down my neck for days." She stood up and he did the same.

"I'm gonna go home and finally get some sleep." They headed to the nearest subway entrance.


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: I don't own any CSI: NY characters, including Sam. Everything else is a figment of my imagination...that kind of sounds weird. Anyway, enjoy and let me know what you think!**

A couple days later, it was Friday. Audrey's mom had asked her to come over and help her get ready for a garage sale she was having. Her mom told her to go into the attic and go through all the things she had in boxes up there. Audrey sat on the floor with boxes all around her. She opened the first box and pulled out a few stuffed animals and Barbie dolls. The second box was full of pictures. She laughed as she looked at the photos of she and her brothers and some with Don, his brother and sister. The third box had CDs and posters from her teenage years. All of a sudden she remembered something.

She got her phone and dialed Don's number. "Hey, are you busy right now?"

"Yeah, well, I'm finishing up some paperwork then I'm headed home. Why?"

"Can you meet me at my parents house when you get done?"

"Yeah, what's going on?"

"I have a surprise for you."

Two hours later, Don was at the front door of her parents' house in Queens. He was still in the suit he had worn to work. Audrey's mom, Jane, greeted him at the door. He hung his jacket on the hook then followed Jane to the kitchen.

"Audrey, was up in the attic for a long time today. She said she was going through all kinds of boxes. I heard her up there laughing at all the funny stuff she found," Jane was telling him as they went through the swinging door to the kitchen.

Audrey was sitting at the small two-person table with photos laid out in front of her. She was smiling and examining the pictures.

"Oh my gosh, where did you find these?" Don asked as he looked at them.

"There was a box in the attic that was full of pictures." She stood up. "And you know what I remembered?"

"What?"

"There's something in the backyard."

Don chuckled. "Oh my God."

"I'll get a shovel and a flashlight." Don followed her out the back door and toward the shed with the flashlight her mom had given them. Don grabbed a shovel and they headed to the big oak tree in the middle of the yard. Audrey counted the twenty steps out from the tree and stopped. Don started to dig. A few minutes later, Audrey pulled a small metal box out of the ground. They both sat on the ground with the flashlight. Don opened the box then pulled out a piece of paper.

"Oh, no, we weren't supposed to open this for another couple years," Don stated.

Audrey grabbed the paper from him. "We wrote rules for this thing?"

"There are always rules for a time capsule." He pulled out a plastic police badge. "God, did I always want to be just like my dad?"

She smiled. "Yeah, you did." She pulled out a Strawberry Shortcake notebook, and flipped it open. "Oh my gosh, it's that story I wrote."

"What is it about?"

"I don't know. A princess and a prince probably. A fairytale," she told him and laughed.

"What?"

"It's just funny how when you're younger anything seems possible, even fairy tales."

"Come on, what's wrong with believing in fairy tales?"

She looked at him. "Well, if this fairytale would've come true you and I would be married," she told him holding up the notebook. "Alright, what else is in here?" She pulled out a photo. "My mom took this when we were burying this thing."

"God, I wish life could be as simple as it was back then. No job or responsibilities."

"Yeah, life was good then, but everyone has to grow up some time. Come on, let's go inside. Mom's made lasagna." She stood up.

"What about the hole?"

"I'll get it tomorrow." She held out her hand to him, he accepted it and stood.

After dinner, Don went out to the front porch and sat on the swing. Audrey was helping her mom clean the dishes and her dad was already in his spot on the couch, watching sports. It was quiet on the porch except for the occasional car that passed by. Then the door opened and he turned to see Audrey coming outside.

"Hey, what are you doing out here? It's freezing." She sat down next to him and threw a blanket over the two of them. He put an arm around her.

He chuckled. "I think I'm having dejavu."

"What?"

"We were in this spot the night of prom. You were all mad because Joey Martino left you there and went off with-"

"Carrie Calley. I remember that. You let me ride home with you and your date. She was so mad at you."

"Yeah, and we ended up here on this swing."

"God, I'm glad I'm not in high school anymore."

"It's weird to think we've been friends for that long."

"Yeah, I'm pretty sure you're stuck with me for the rest of your life."


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: I don't own any CSI: NY characters, including Sam. Everything else is a figment of my imagination...that kind of sounds weird. Anyway, enjoy and let me know what you think!**

Three weeks later Don and Audrey were going to a party to celebrate the 100th issue of the magazine she worked for. Don was impatiently waiting in Audrey's living room for her to finish getting ready. He was dressed in a dark gray suit with a striped long-sleeve dress shirt underneath. He and Audrey had gone shopping the week before and she had picked out everything he was wearing.

"Audrey, come on, we're gonna miss the whole party if you don't hurry up," he called to her.

"I'm coming, hang on," she responded. She walked out of the room, clasping an earring. Don's mouth almost dropped open. She was wearing a knee-length emerald-colored satin dress with bronze stiletto heels. "What? Do I look ok?"

Don shook himself out of his trance. "Ok? Yeah, you look great." He stood and straightened his jacket.

"You don't look so bad yourself. Ok, let's go." She grabbed her small clutch purse and jacket then went out the door with Don close behind her.

Don stayed at Audrey's side most of the night except for his few trips to the small bar that was set up. He enjoyed watching his best friend in her professional setting, mingling with people who she worked for and worked with. At the end of the night he rode with her in the cab on the way back to her apartment. She was yawning as she looked out the window.

"Hey," he started, breaking the silence. "I forgot to tell you, you look really great tonight."

"Thank you," she responded with a smile.


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer: I don't own any CSI: NY characters, including Sam. Everything else is a figment of my imagination...that kind of sounds weird. Anyway, enjoy and let me know what you think!**

The next day Don and Danny were riding together to the precinct from a crime scene. He was telling Danny about the party he had attended the night before with Audrey. He even added the details of how great she looked.

"Is there something going on with you and her?"

"What? No, we're friends, Dan."

"Yeah, but the way you talk about her sometimes I would swear you like her as more than a friend."

It took Don a second to reply. "Even if I did it wouldn't mean anything if she doesn't feel the same."

"An answer like that tells me there is something going on."

Don started to think about Audrey. They had been friends for such a long time he couldn't imagine his life without her. But he had never thought about being more than friends with her. Each of them had had serious relationships over the years, but they had never even been close to settling down with anyone. Don was beginning to reason that it was because of Audrey that he never settle down with anyone. And maybe he was the reason she hadn't.

He continued to think about it throughout the rest of the day. Finally, he decided that maybe the best thing to do would be to talk to Audrey about the whole thing. She would be able to tell him whether the feelings he had were real and worth feeling. Just when he thought he was ready to go home that night he cell rang and he was called to a homicide close to Times Square. When he arrived he walked straight to the body that was lying on the subway platform. It was a young man who had been shot in the head, and the gun was lying next to him.

"Looks like a mob hit," Don commented to the officer standing next to him.

"Yeah, that's the first thing I thought too."

"Any ID on him?"

"His name is Tom O'Connel."

"Witnesses?"

"A woman coming down the stairs pretty much saw the whole thing," he told him. "She's over there," he said and pointed to a woman sitting on the subway steps.

Don stared at Audrey sitting on the steps. He couldn't believe it was her.

"You ok, detective?"

"Yeah, did you talk to her?"

"A little. Just got a little bit about what she saw, but she's all yours."

Don walked over to her and she lifted her head from where it was resting on her hands as he approached.

"Hey, Don," she greeted.

"Hey, are you ok?"

"Yeah, why?" She stood to look him in the eye.

"God, I gotta be professional about this. So, tell me about what you saw." He opened his notebook and pull out a pen.

"Well, I was coming down the stairs to get on the train. There wasn't anyone on the platform except three guys who were standing in front of a guy who was down on his knees in front of them. The guy in the middle of the three was talking to him. Saying something about how the guy would never be able to mess with his family ever again then he shot him."

"When the guys left, which way did they go?"

"They went out the other side."

"Did you get a good look at the guys?"

"Yeah, the one who did the talking was an older guy probably in his sixties. The other guys were about the thirties."

"I'll have you meet with a sketch artist," he paused. "Do you think they saw you?"

"I don't think so, why?"

"Well, we think this was a mob hit. If they know you saw the whole thing then they could come after you. The mob is known for taking out the witnesses before they can testify against them."

"Come on, they couldn't have seen me."

"But, are you sure?" He sounded like Audrey's father as he pried to make sure she would be safe.

"Listen, I'll be ok. I'll stay in public and watch my back."

"I'll get protective custody for you."

"No, that's not necessary. Cody can come and stay with me for a little while. Chelsea's close by and he could probably use some time away from the dorm."

"Alright, you promise you'll get him to stay?"

"Yes, I promise."

"Alright, I'll have an officer take you to the precinct to meet with the sketch artist, then I'll come and take you home."

"God, I have to remind myself this is your job otherwise I would think you were my dad," she told him with a smile he didn't return. "Come on, I'm kidding."

Don walked away as he noticed Mac come down the stairs toward the body.

"Was that Audrey I saw?" Mac asked.

"Yeah, she's our witness. We're thinking this is a mob hit, and Audrey was trying to refuse any kind of protection."

Mac smirked. "That's why you guys get along so well; you're both stubborn."

Don shook his head then began to go into the details of the scene and what Audrey had told him.


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer: I don't own any CSI: NY characters, including Sam. Everything else is a figment of my imagination...that kind of sounds weird. Anyway, enjoy and let me know what you think!**

Three days later Don still didn't have much on the case Audrey had witnessed. Cody, Audrey's youngest brother, came to stay with her. He went to Chelsea, which was close to Audrey's apartment and like she thought he was ready for a break from the dorm. Don was at his desk filing through the paperwork he had on the case. His phone rang next to him. He furrowed his brow as he looked at the caller ID.

"Detective Flack," he answered.

"Detective, this is officer Kelly from the 2-1. I responded to an assault on Broadway and 81st. The woman who was assaulted is a Ms. Audrey Clarkson. She was asking me to call you when I talked to her."

Don stood. "Where is she?"

"The ambulance taking her to University Hospital. I'm following the ambulance right now."

"Alright, I'll meet you there." Don ran to his car and flipped on the siren and the lights as he raced through traffic to the hospital. When he got there he ran inside the Emergency room and straight to the front desk. Before he could even ask the nurse where Audrey was taken Officer Kelly approached him.

"Hey, Detective Flack, Miss Clarkson was taken back to get some tests done. The EMTs said she has a broken arm and some broken ribs."

"Tell me exactly what happened."

"The 9-1-1 came in around ten and my partner and I were close by so we were the first responders. The guy who made the call was standing in the alley next to Miss Clarkson. He told us he had been walking past the alley and saw two guys kicking and yelling at someone they had on the ground. He could see her high heels and then went running toward them and he scared the guys off. Then he called 9-1-1."

"Did the witness get a description of the guys?"

"Yeah, he said they were thirties, about six feet to six two, and medium build with dark hair."

"What about a sketch?"

"He said he didn't get close enough to get details."

"Audrey witnessed a murder earlier this week. We think it was a mob hit, and she was able to give us a sketch of a couple of the guys. I'm sure the guys who did this to her are the same guys she saw commit the murder."

"So, you wanna show our witness the sketch and see if he recognizes them?"

"Yeah, that would probably be a good idea." A doctor came out and walked over to Don.

"Are you two here for Audrey Clarkson?"

"Yes, I'm Detective Don Flack, she's a friend."

"Well, Detective Miss Clarkson suffered a broken wrist, two broken ribs, multiple bruises and lacerations to the face, and a fractured femur."

"The men who attacked her did they..." Don trailed off.

"We took a rape kit, and we're still waiting fir the results but I saw no signs of rape."

"Can I, uh go see her?"

"We're casting her arm right now, and bandaging the lacerations. I will send a nurse out when she is able to receive a visitor." The doctor walked away.

"I'm gonna stay here and wait to see Audrey. Would you mind getting the sketch to the witness and see what he knows?"

"Yeah, I'll so that then I'll get back here to get a statement from Miss Clarkson."

A couple minutes after Officer Kelly left him, a nurse came out to tell Don he could go back to Audrey's room. He followed the female nurse down the hallway and to the room where Audrey was lying in the bed. He noticed her eyes were closed as he got closer. He pulled a stool over and sat down next to the bed. It was hard for him to remain calm as he took her hand in his.

"Audrey," he whispered. "Hey, are you ok?"

Her eyes fluttered open and she turned to look at him. Her right eye was covered in a bandage and her nose looked like it was broken. There was also a bandage on her left cheek. "Hey," she whispered.

"Oh my God, Audrey."

"I went out for a run."

"You don't know how to listen, do you?"

"I guess not."

He shook his head. "You scared me, Audrey."

"I know, I'm sorry."

"We're gonna get these guys, ok?"

She nodded with tears in her eyes. A few minutes later, Audrey was fast asleep with Don sitting next to her. He had his head lying on the side of the bed and he was almost asleep when the doctor came in. He lightly tapped Don on the shoulder.

"I just wanted to tell you that the rape kit came back and it was negative."

Don looked up at him. "Thank you."


	7. Chapter 7

**Disclaimer: I don't own any CSI: NY characters, including Sam. Everything else is a figment of my imagination...that kind of sounds weird. Anyway, enjoy and let me know what you think!**

The next day, Don left Audrey's room only for a couple hours to see what Danny had found from the scene where Audrey was assaulted. Danny hadn't found much, but there were a few things that he and Mac were following up on. The man who had called in the assault recognized one of the men who assaulted Audrey from the sketch. When Don got back to Audrey's room, her youngest brother, Cody, was sitting next to her. And Don's sister, Sam, was on the other side of the bed by the window.

Don walked in with a vase full of flowers. Sam took them from him and set them on the table. "So, where is everybody? I expected the whole family to be here," Don asked and sat down.

"Well, my parents are getting some coffee. Angela was here earlier and so was Drew. My parents made Trisha go to school," Audrey explained to Don about his older sister and brother, and their baby sister.

Cody watched Don take Audrey's hand. He looked at Sam. "Hey, Sam why don't we go grab some lunch?" he recommended and stood.

"Alright," she stood and followed Cody out of the room.

"So, how's it going?"

"Ok," Audrey replied and tried to force a smile. "Officer Kelly finally came to get my statement about what happened. Do you guys know anything about the guys yet?"

"The witness who called in your assault recognized one of the guys from the sketches you gave us," he paused. "Hey, I was thinking that maybe you should come and stay at my apartment until this blow over. I just worry about you being at your place when they obviously know who you are, and they could come to your apartment."

"Normally, I would argue with you, but I am too tired and sore to fight with you."

Don sat next to Audrey's bed for a while longer. He told her he had talked to her doctor about her leaving the next day, and he had talked to her sister about going to her apartment to get her some clothes to bring to his place. After a couple minutes she told him she was tired of talking about what had happened and so he flipped on the TV. Then his phone rang and it was Danny, telling him they had found something on the case.

"I gotta go, Danny finally got a hit from the bullet in the shooting you witnessed." He bent down and kissed her forehead. "I'll be by later." He walked out of the room and started down the hallway. He told Cody and Sam where he was going as he past them.

Don stopped when Cody called after him. "Hey, I'm really sorry about what happened to Audrey. I know I was supposed to be staying with her so nothing happened to her. She just went to the market, you know I thought she'd be ok."

"Listen, Cody, I know this wasn't your fault. I know I'm a hard ass sometimes, but I'm not gonna hold this against you. To be honest, Audrey should have known better, but again this is no one fault." He smacked Cody lightly on the arm. "Hey, I gotta go we got a lead. I'll be by later."


	8. Chapter 8

**Disclaimer: I don't own any CSI: NY characters, including Sam. Everything else is a figment of my imagination...that kind of sounds weird. Anyway, enjoy and let me know what you think!**

"Ok, Danny, I'm here. What have you got?" Don said as he walked into the lab.

"Hawkes, got a case to case hit on the bullet we recovered from the victim in the subway. It matches a shooting from the Bronx about two years ago."

"Did we get a name from it?"

"The lead suspect was a Sal DiMarco. He was able to conveniently alibi out on the other shooting, so he wasn't convicted. I talked to a guy in organized crime and I found out this guy is the son of a known member of the mob."

"So, what are we waiting for let's go get this guy?"

"Well, the detective in organized crime gave me a 'head's up' and said these guys are pretty ruthless and it always seems like they're able to get out of anything. So, if we're gonna go after these guys then we need to have plenty of evidence so they won't be able to get out of this." He noticed the disappointed look on Don's face. "Hey, but don't get too upset. I got some DNA from Audrey's clothes. As long as we can get this guy to give us some DNA we should have him.

"Let's pick him up and see what he has to say about his whereabouts. I'm done worrying about Audrey getting hurt."

Don and Danny headed to the Bronx with a group of uniformed officers. They headed into an Italian restaurant and talked to Sal DiMarco's father. He claimed his son was in the restaurant the night of the murder in the subway and Audrey's assault. When Don talked to Sal, the man confirmed what his father had said. Danny asked him for a DNA sample and, of course, he refused.

"Yeah, that's fine. We got enough on you; we'll be back with a subpoena then we'll get you for murder and assault with a deadly weapon," Danny told him then followed Don outside.

The next morning Don went to the hospital to get Audrey. Her sister had dropped off a bag of her clothes to his apartment the night before. Don was nervous to take her out of the hospital in fear that someone might follow them. He walked out of the front of the hospital with Audrey being pushed in a wheelchair behind him. He was loaded down with flowers and some balloons. When they got to the car the nurse helped Audrey into the front seat while Don piled her things into the backseat. As they drove Audrey leaned her head against the window.

"You ok?"

She looked at him and forced a smile. "Yeah, I will be."

"I'm sorry this has to be like this. I wish I could take you home."

"I wish you could too, but obviously I can't be left alone." She leaned forward and flipped on the radio to break the silence.

About twenty minutes later they got to his building. He helped Audrey up to the apartment then went back to get her stuff from the car. He leaned her crutches on the back of the couch where she was lying.

"Audrey, I have to go to work. The bedroom is all yours; I'll sleep on the couch. I changed the sheets and there are towels and stuff in the linen closet. Do you need anything else?"

"No, I'm ok."

He walked over to her and knelt down to kiss her cheek. "Just call me if you need anything."

"I will."


	9. Chapter 9

**Disclaimer: I don't own any CSI: NY characters, including Sam. Everything else is a figment of my imagination...that kind of sounds weird. Anyway, enjoy and let me know what you think!**

That evening Don came home with two plastic bags in his hands. He saw Audrey lying on the couch and the TV was on low. He set down the bags and put away the perishable groceries then walked into the living room. He looked at Audrey and she was still awake.

"Hey," she greeted quietly.

He pushed her hair back from her face. "I got some food, are you hungry?"

"Yeah, I am." She sat up.

Don walked into the kitchen and grabbed a couple "to go" boxes. Then pulled some flatware from the drawer. He took a beer from the refrigerator and poured Audrey a glass of water. He set everything on the coffee table and sat down next to Audrey.

"I can't have a beer?"

"Well, I read the bottle on some of your pain meds and they say not to drink while you're taking them."

She smiled. "You read the medicine bottles?"

"Yeah, if I'm gonna take care of you then I might as well know the right way to do it."

She took a few bites of her pasta. They watched the TV for a while. Don eventually got up from the couch to change his clothes then came back. It was soon dark outside and they both seemed very tired. Audrey leaned her head on Don's shoulder. He looked over at her and smiled.

A few days later Don finally caught a break and was able to put Sal DiMarco in lock-up. He was thoroughly satisfied that he was going to be able to go home to Audrey and tell her she could finally leave the apartment and not be scared. As soon as he finished booking DiMarco and his cousin who had also been involved he headed home. He was three blocks away when Audrey called.

"Meet me at the pub down the street," she told him then ended the call.

He passed his building and went to the pub where she had told him to meet her. When he walked inside, he couldn't find her. Then he went to the bar and sat down. The bartender, who Don knew very well, brought over a pint of dark beer. "From the girl at the end," he told Don.

"Thanks," Don responded then looked down the bar. He couldn't find a girl then an older guy got up and he could see. It was Audrey. Her hair was short and lighter. She smiled at him and he got up. "What did you do?" he asked as he looked her over. He sat down next to her.

"Angela and Sam took me out today. We went shopping and we went to get my hair done. I figured if I changed my look then maybe those stupid guys wouldn't be able to find me."

"Well, I have some good news. We got enough evidence to put DiMarco and his cousin away for the murder and for your assault."

"Oh gosh, that's great, Don." She wrapped her arms around him and kissed his cheek. "This is the best news."

"So, you cut all of your gorgeous hair off for nothing."

"Hey, it got donated to charity so don't worry about it. Plus, I like it short."

He looked at her hair again. "Well, I guess it is pretty sexy."

Soon the drinks were flowing and they were joined by Danny and Lindsay. Audrey wanted so bad to go dancing, but couldn't because she still had a brace on her fractured leg. By the time Don and Audrey got back to his apartment they were both pretty intoxicated. He unlocked the door and they went inside. She went straight to the bedroom and stripped her clothes off without closing the door. Don was watching her from the doorway. When she turned, she noticed him and motioned him to her. Soon they were on the bed, him in his underwear as well.


	10. Chapter 10

**Disclaimer: I don't own any CSI: NY characters, including Sam. Everything else is a figment of my imagination...that kind of sounds weird. Anyway, enjoy and let me know what you think!**

The next morning Audrey awoke with a throbbing headache. She held her head as she rolled over. She was in the bed, and the room alone. The night before was a blur, but she was lying naked in the bed. She put two and two together and realized what had happened. She and Don had slept together. She threw back the blankets and grabbed her robe from the chair by the bed then grabbed her phone from the dresser.

"Hey, Audrey," Angela answered.

"Angie, oh my god."

"What? Are you ok?"

"Yeah, I mean, I think. Angie I did something."

"What happened?"

"Don and I...we, we had sex last night."

"Oh my God, Audrey."

"I know. We were celebrating because he arrested the guys that assaulted me." Audrey was in the bathroom. "Angie, I can't find, uh, oh shit."

"What, Audrey, what's going on?"

Audrey sat on the toilet and hung her head. "There's no condom. No wrapper, nothing."

"Oh Jesus, Audrey." The line was silent for a few seconds. "Audrey, are you there?"

"Yeah, I'm here."

"Are you gonna be ok, baby girl?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. I'll call you later, ok?"

"Alright, I love you."

"Love you too." Audrey ended the call then got in the shower.

When she was ready, she grabbed her purse and keys and left the apartment. A cab took her to Don's precinct. As she came in the front door Danny was leaving.

"Hey, Audrey," he greeted her awkwardly.

_He knows_, she thought. "Hey, Danny."

"Last night was fun."

"Yeah, hey I really gotta talk to Don. I'll see you later."

"Alright, later." He walked away from her and out the door.

Audrey walked through the double-doors and straight to Don's desk. He was hanging up the phone as she got close. "I need to talk to you," she stated before he could even get out a greeting.

"Ok, let's talk." He stood up.

She looked around. "Uh, in private please."

"Alright." She followed him to the locker room. He watched her pace back and forth in front of him. "This is about what happened last night?"

"Yeah, I think things got away from us. I'm not quite sure if what happened was a good thing."

"Well, I, uh, don't know if I'd say it was a bad thing."

She stopped to look at him. "Really? Well, not using a condom sure as hell was."

"What?"

"Yeah, I pretty much searched the apartment high and low and I didn't find a wrapper or anything." Don didn't respond, and Audrey sighed heavily. "I don't know if there's any reason to get upset about it right now."

"You mean you think you could get pregnant?"

"Yeah, there's that possibility." The door opened and a male detective came in then stopped when he saw her. "Do you mind?" she snapped; he turned around and left. She looked down at her hands. "Listen, I'm going to spend the weekend at my parents' to hang out with Trisha while my parents are out of town. I think we, well I, need this time to think about what's going on here."

"Audrey, maybe this happened for a reason. I mean, don't you think that just maybe the alcohol just brought out some underlying feelings?"

She shook her head. "I don't know." She put her hand on his. "I'll call you in a couple days." She walked away from him.

"Audrey," she stopped in the doorway but didn't turn to look at him. "I don't need a couple days, I love you." With that she walked out of the room, leaving him standing there alone feeling foolish and somewhat hurt.


	11. Chapter 11

**Disclaimer: I don't own any CSI: NY characters, including Sam. Everything else is a figment of my imagination...that kind of sounds weird. Anyway, enjoy and let me know what you think!**

"What's wrong?" Trisha inquired when she noticed the sad look on Audrey's face.

She forced a smile. "Nothing, I'm fine." They were curled up on the couch with popcorn and sodas, watching another "chick flick."

"Yeah, right. You've had that look all night."

"What look?"

"Like somebody ran over your dog."

Audrey laughed. Her sister might have been an eighteen year-old senior but she was insightful. It was a trait all the women in their family had. "Trust me, I don't think you want to get involved in my drama."

Trisha paused the movie. "Try me."

"Fine," she replied and sat up. "Don and I had too much to drink last night and we had sex, and when I woke up this morning I noticed we hadn't used a condom. I kind of freaked out. I, of course, wanted to talk to him about and when I did he all of a sudden told me he loved me."

"Wow."

"Yeah."

"So, you could be carrying Don's baby right now?"

"Oh God, Trish, I really didn't need that."

"Sorry. So, I guess you didn't tell Don you love him too?"

"No."

"Why not?"

Audrey stared at the floor for a second. "I guess because I'm not really sure if I love him."

"But, you guys have known each other forever and neither of you have had real serious relationships. I just always figured it was because you guys had each other."

"I've just never really thought of him in that way. I mean, we did have sex one other time, but it was a long time ago and we were more drunk than last night."

"You're my sister and I love you, but you can be pretty dense sometimes. I know Don has loved you forever, and I know you love him too; you just have to admit it to yourself and him."

Audrey looked at her sister and smiled. "When did you do all this growing up?"

"I guess when you weren't looking."


	12. Chapter 12

**Disclaimer: I don't own any CSI: NY characters, including Sam. Everything else is a figment of my imagination...that kind of sounds weird. Anyway, enjoy and let me know what you think!**

Over the next couple days Audrey's phone rang every couple of hours with calls from Don. Trisha would look at Audrey's phone then at her and ask if she was going to answer it, but Audrey would just hit the end button and push the phone to the side. Finally, it was time for Audrey to go back home once her parents were home. She took the train to her apartment. She was slightly waiting for her phone to ring, but it didn't. They were passing over the East River as she looked out the window at the city lights. She started to think about Don, and how foolish she had been when she had overreacted. He had confessed his love to her and she had basically spit in his face. Trisha had been right about how dense she was. Audrey had to admit to herself that at times she was in her own little world and often in denial about other people's feelings.

She finally got to the 86th Street Station she threw her bag on her shoulder and ran up to the street. Don's lack of calls had also reaffirmed her feelings that he was more than mad at her. Audrey walked the three blocks to Don's building. When she got inside, she ran up the stairs. Don didn't answer with the first knock, so she knocked again.

"I'm comin'," he called out then opened the door. He was wearing a wife beater and a pair of sweatpants. "Hey," he greeted.

"Hi," she responded. "Before you just tell me to go away I'm here to say I'm sorry. I treated you like crap the other day and I don't even know why. I was talking to Trish and I realized that all of this is totally my fault. I overreacted and I was selfish. I'm just-"

"Audrey, please stop talking." He smiled. "Do you want to come in?"

She pushed her hair behind her ear. "Only if you really want me to."

"Yeah, I do. I just don't think the whole floor wants to hear about you and me." He moved to the side so she could walk past him. "You want anything?"

"No, I'm good." Audrey set her small overnight bag on the floor in the foyer. She walked into the living room as he grabbed a beer from the refrigerator. "So, all those things I said, I really meant them."

Don stood on the other side of the bar in the kitchen and stared down at his beer. "Yeah, I know you did."

"Well?"

He walked toward her and took her hand. "I didn't let you finish, though."

She looked down at their hands. "Well, I just wanted to say I'm sorry, and that I think maybe, I might love you too."

He put his hands on the side of her face and kissed her deeply. "Audrey, God, I've loved you for so long. I've just been waiting for this day."

"Is there a reason why you didn't say anything?"

He laughed. "It always seemed easier being your best friend than anything more than that."

"I'm sorry that it took me so long to figure this out. Trish told me that I can be pretty dense sometimes." She pulled him close to her and kissed him a couple more times.

"So, what about the other night? Are you ok about what happened?"

"Well, I guess I'm ok with the fact that we had sex, but," she paused. "Why don't we just wait and see whether the rest is anything worst getting upset about?"

He wrapped his arms around her waist. "I think that's a good idea." As he bent down to kiss her, Audrey's phone rang.

She walked over to answer it. "It's Trisha," she said as she looked at the caller ID. "Hey, Trish," she answered. "I'm at his apartment right now." She listened. "Trisha, can I call you later?" She laughed. "Would you stop I will call you tomorrow." She ended the call and tossed her phone back in her purse. "Gotta love having a little sister."


	13. Chapter 13

**Disclaimer: I don't own any CSI: NY characters, including Sam. Everything else is a figment of my imagination...that kind of sounds weird. Anyway, enjoy and let me know what you think!**

A week later, Audrey was pacing in Don's apartment. He was at work and her sister, Angela, was lying on the couch. She had her legs hanging over the edge and was staring at the ceiling.

"Jesus, Audrey, I don't even know why I'm here. You said you didn't even skip your period or anything," Angela told her.

"I have to be sure, Angie."

She sat up. "Well, how much longer?"

"Another minute."

"So, have you thought about what's gonna happen when you find out the answer?"

"You mean, have I thought about whether I can handle having a kid?"

"That may not be the outcome, though. What about if it's negative?"

Audrey finally sat down on a barstool. "I don't know." The timer went off and she looked at the test.

"What does it say?"

"It says negative, but what if it's wrong, Ang?"

Angela stood up and pulled on her jacket. "Listen, Audrey, those things are usually right, but if you don't trust it then go to the doctor. I have to get back to work." She started toward the door. "And, hey, have you even talked to Don about this?"

"Well, kind of. But not really about taking a test or anything."

"Well, talk to him, Audrey. Then maybe you'll know what to do about the whole thing." Angela opened the door and said her goodbyes.

That night Don came home to a dark apartment. He saw a light on in the bedroom. He saw Audrey sitting at the desk, typing away on her laptop. He laughed at her outfit: pink pajama pants and his Rangers sweatshirt that was at least two sizes too big. Her hair was pulled up on top of her head and her leg was propped on the side of the desk. She had earphones in, so he knew she wouldn't hear him creep up to her. He slid his hands onto her shoulders and kissed her neck causing her to jump.

"Oh my gosh, Don," she squealed as she pulled her earphones out of her ears and turned around. She gently slapped his arm. "You scared me to death."

He kissed her. "Sorry, I couldn't pass that up. What are you doing?"

"I'm finishing up a couple more chapters of the book. My editor needs them by tomorrow afternoon. How was work?"

"Just another day catchin' the bad guys." He walked over to the closet and started to strip off his suit and tie. "You been at this all day?"

"Yeah, just about. Angie came over earlier to hang out for a little bit."

He now walked over to her in a t-shirt and basketball shorts. "You alright?" he asked when he saw her staring down at the floor.

"Oh, yeah, I'm fine. Just tired."

"I hear you there." He sat on the edge of the bed.

"Did you eat?"

"Yeah, I grabbed a sandwich earlier. Hey, what's going on? I can tell something is bugging you."

"Well, Angie actually came over because I took a test and I wanted her here for moral support I guess."

"What kind of test?"

"A pregnancy test."

His eyes widened. "Did you skip a period or something?"

"No, I was just worried, you know. I don't have patience."

"Well, what did it say?"

"It was negative. But, I'm still not sure."

"Ok."

"So, I made an appointment to see a doctor to be sure."

He chuckled.

"What?"

He shook his head. "You, Audrey, you never have patience, and you always have to be one hundred percent sure about anything before you'll do it or take it seriously."

"Is that a bad thing?"

"Well, no, but sometimes maybe you just have to take things as they are, and not get all worried about something until it's real."

"This is kind of different. I have to be sure."

"Yeah, but you could just wait until there is something to really get worried about before you freak out and start taking tests and seeing doctors."

"No, I can't wait till then. I have to know."

He smiled. "I know. That's just one of the things I love about you." He pulled her chair close to him and leaned down to kiss her.

The next day Audrey went to the doctor to get her pregnancy test done. They, of course, told her that the results wouldn't come back for a few days. When she finally got the results, she was at home and her phone rang. It was the doctor. He told her that she was not pregnant. She was elated; she and Don's relationship was new and adding a child into the mix was not what she needed.

Audrey dialed Don's number and he picked up after a couple rings. "Don, the doctor called. He said I'm not pregnant."

"Oh, Audrey, that's good."

"Yeah, I don't think I'm ready for parenthood yet."

"Me neither. Hey, I'm at a crime scene right now, I'll call you later, ok?"

"Yeah, hey I love you."

"I love you too."


End file.
